My most recent dress is from Simplicity 1810. This design is the dress of my dreams (my current dreams, anyway. My dress dreams are fickle). It is a breezy woven dress that is not too tight and uncomfortable in the Florida heat. It breathes!
I like the wrap-around belt detail. It is two pieces attached in the back darts. You can wrap it around double as I did, knotting in the back, or you can tie a bow in the front. I had barely enough belt to get around my waist and tie. I'd consider adding a couple of inches to each tie next time. I'm thinking I would like the top version. It would be very Florida-chic with linen pants.
The only change I made to the dress was at the armholes. Originally, they were too tight, so I lowered the bottom a bit and now they are just fine - maybe a bit lower than I prefer, but my bra doesn't show. Well, not under the arms anyway. It's sneaking out at the back.
I broke my tri-pod today. :-( My 8-year-old helped me out, but he didn't want to get his feet wet, so the exposure is a bit funny with us in different light, I think. We took these photos right after a rain shower, and I think the screen looks quite neat with the water still clinging.
Kindly ignore the bra strap.
The fabric for this dress is from my local JoAnn's - a floral on cotton swiss dot. I really like the colors of the print and the delicate flowers. I fully lined the dress with plain white cotton. I treated the swiss dot and lining as one when sewing the shoulder area and neckline. The neckline is finished with a facing, and the armholes use bias tape. Below the armholes, I finished the lining and swiss dot separately so that they hang free.
I've been playing with my new narrow hem foot for my sewing machine. It definitely takes some practice, but I'm getting better. This hem is only a little wonky.
Close-up of the shoulder gathers... and my Orkney birds :-) The necklace is by Ola Gorie. Compared to the website, my pendant looks filthy! I also have this viking ship brooch, which I love to wear with my knit cowls and scarves. Oh, I want to go back to Scotland. Wait - I'm getting sidetracked...
Belt detail
The only change I made to the dress was at the armholes. Originally, they were too tight, so I lowered the bottom a bit and now they are just fine - maybe a bit lower than I prefer, but my bra doesn't show. Well, not under the arms anyway. It's sneaking out at the back.
I broke my tri-pod today. :-( My 8-year-old helped me out, but he didn't want to get his feet wet, so the exposure is a bit funny with us in different light, I think. We took these photos right after a rain shower, and I think the screen looks quite neat with the water still clinging.
The fabric for this dress is from my local JoAnn's - a floral on cotton swiss dot. I really like the colors of the print and the delicate flowers. I fully lined the dress with plain white cotton. I treated the swiss dot and lining as one when sewing the shoulder area and neckline. The neckline is finished with a facing, and the armholes use bias tape. Below the armholes, I finished the lining and swiss dot separately so that they hang free.
I've been playing with my new narrow hem foot for my sewing machine. It definitely takes some practice, but I'm getting better. This hem is only a little wonky.
Close-up of the shoulder gathers... and my Orkney birds :-) The necklace is by Ola Gorie. Compared to the website, my pendant looks filthy! I also have this viking ship brooch, which I love to wear with my knit cowls and scarves. Oh, I want to go back to Scotland. Wait - I'm getting sidetracked...
Belt detail
In other sewing news, I just got an email from Nasir at Pennie Fabrics, the store in Sarasota I have repeatedly raved about. He is having a sale this weekend - 25% off all fabric!? Any local seamstresses out there, you are thus notified. And looky what I found. Looks like he's working on a website. :-)
Cool,cotton dresses for summer heat...so hard to buy, so lucky you can sew! Love the belt detail.
ReplyDeleteThanks! The belt is what drew me in.
DeleteThat is lovely. I like the shoulder detail. I have just made a cotton dress too but mine is yellow! Go and take a look at http://joeveryday19.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/channeling-my-inner-yellow.html
ReplyDeleteJo, I'm so happy to discover your blog. I love some pretty yellow in my life. I think it's been too long since I've sewn a yellow dress.
DeleteThat is so pretty, Jenny! You forgot to add "crafter extraordinaire" to your profile up there :-) ! (I always wondered whether lining dresses - even in cotton - would take away the breezy feeling of a fabric like this. It doesn't sound like it from your review, though.)
ReplyDeleteI've been meaning to update my profile... and add a favorite things tab, etc etc. :-) With this fabric, lining was pretty imperative. It is quite sheer. It was that or wear a sticky, hot slip. It's still breezy enough. It took me years to learn that cotton is just fine for a lining, and I don't always have to use something slippery.
DeleteVery pretty dress! And yes, a cotton lining makes much more sense for summer, doesn't it? I use cotton voile because it's breezy and light. Sometimes though, no lining at all is best, especially for hot ,sticky weather , IMO.
ReplyDeleteI used to think no lining in a dress meant it was cheap, but be grow and learn. You're right. Sometimes it's just not needed and makes the dress less pleasant to wear.
DeleteJenny, such a cute dress! 25% off the whole store? Oh my, I think we have to go to Sarasota this weekend! Btw, we did not get a drop of that rain!
ReplyDeleteYes! I couldn't believe it. I think I'm going to drive down tomorrow since my Saturday is full of soccer games and in-laws. :-)
DeleteWhat a cute dress - great job! I wish I could sew my own clothes! Your 8 year old did a great job - my fiance is near 30 and can't do nearly as well lol!
ReplyDeletejess | Bows & Bouquets
Love, love, love! The shoulder details, the belt, the fabric...all of it! I'm sad I can't make it to Sarasota!! Only 81 days til I leave this island... :-)
ReplyDeleteHi. I've made a couple of these before. I'm going back to mine now. In thinking of doing it with sleeves. Have you done any with sleeves ?
ReplyDelete